AMC Spices Up Development Process With Script Bake-Off, Winners To Get Pilot Orders

What’s cooking at AMC? It’s the cable network’s second annual pilot script showcase called “bake-off,” which took place from Monday to Thursday this week at a hotel in Los Angeles. In it, six scripts identified by AMC brass as finalists for a pilot order faced off in a series of elaborate presentations, with the producing team for each project showing a promo reel and each creator pitching in detail the series beyond the pilot, including mapping out the first season. In the next couple of weeks, AMC executives will mull over the presentations and are expected to announce one or two winners from the bake-off, whose scripts will go to pilot. I hear that the number of pilot pickups will depend on whether AMC lands the MRC-produced David Fincher-Kevin Spaceydrama project House of Cards. AMC is one of several cable networks bidding on the project, with HBO and Starz also said to be in the running. If AMC lands House of Cards, it is expected to pick up one pilot developed internally; if not, two of the six scripts showcased this week will probably get green light.

This is the second year AMC is doing the bake-off. Among the projects competing in last year’s event was Hell on Wheels, which went to pilot and then to series.

29 Comments

Perhaps AMC should focus on the shows they have already – such as getting the whole MAD MAN season 5 contract issues out of the way. :)

sounds awful • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

do they also have to do the swimsuit competition?

Mike Rongholes • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Pick up House of Cards and LOGJAMMERS and call it a day. Two hottest scripts in town.

duckets • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Um, dude… LJ is not set up at that network. I’m not sure what bogus report you’re working from, but maybe it’s time have a sit down with your company’s coordinator and get the grids straight. Or maybe you’re just one of those idiots spreading false news about a project that’s not even really in a position to be made (which applies to the unt. logjammer project)… either way, get a clue.

polly • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Once Mad Men and Breaking Bad are officially finished, I will never watch another AMC show again. Why get invested in a show that the network is too incompetent to keep around?

Michael Heister • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Are you kidding me? Not counting The Prisoner miniseries, AMC right now is what, 3 for 4? They’ve put up Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and the Walking Dead, and you’re whining? Which competitor do you work for???

Herb Finn • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

That’s 3 for 5 – you forgot “Rubicon”!

(or 4 for 6 if you count “Remember WHEN” and “The Lot”)

mad men viewer • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

i agree with polly…this network doesnt care about their viewers.we should write the advertisers and let them know we will not be supporting their products unless they kick amc to get moving on mad men.

question • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

does anyone know what the six projects are that were in the bakeoff?

gpwild • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

House of Cards on AMC would be fantastic! I like HBO but they seem to have a ton of shows in development already. AMC would be able to direct more internal resources to this project.

I don’t know what titles are in this bake-off but some of the titles that have been mentioned as possibilities over the last few months sound pretty horrible. The Wreck and The Fourth Estate both sound like pretty big turkeys.

They also need to change the name of Hell on Wheels. I love the idea of a western series but the title is only going to be a disservice to the series.

bizarre • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

AMC doesn’t make the Central America war correspondents one, but he makes one about a reporter in San Diego? WTF?

AC • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Truly a mess of a network. There isn’t a point of view to be found. They have no money and they have no ability to keep a show on the air in any kind of consistent fashion. Script bake-off’s for the “right” to make a pilot that they don’t have to pick up to series? Studios that are playing this foolish game, spending money on elaborage presentations and promo reels are doing so out of fear. They should all tell the channel to f-off and figure out a way to finance their own programming for their own channels and be done with all the clowns who sit in network chairs. Is this truly the way of the future?

Ben • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

This is a terrible way to develop a series. Evaluate the material on its potential instead of picking who wins best presentation in a hotel conference room.

Anonymous • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

What a demeaning song and dance. Did they film it for a reality series as well?

angus beef • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

After the debacle of Rubicon… I’m hoping they pick their series better.

But wondering what the execs are getting paid for, cause this sure doesn’t sound like development.

imahrtbrkbeat • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

I wouldn’t really consider Rubicon a debacle. It found its legs, though a bit late, but it was still a great show. They just didn’t give it much of a chance…

Lita Ford's Fairlane • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Rubicon was ridiculously bad…

Shame on the BROTHERHOOD folks who ran it.

They should have done much better. Weak storytelling.

MoreTears • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

gpwild,

“Hell On Wheels” WAS the name of the mobile community of saloons, gambling houses, and brothels that followed the trans-continental railway as it was being built. That is what 1860’s newspapers called the community and the name stuck. That is the actual origin of the phrase “Hell On Wheel,” since used in the 20th century for movies about things like racing, roller derby etc. Since the AMC series is about that community, that is the appropriate name for the show. You might as well say Deadwood should have been titled something other than Deadwood, notwithstanding that that was the name of the historic camp/town.

imahrtbrkbeat • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

I’m still bitter about Rubicon. I absolutely agree…after Mad Men is done, I’m done with AMC.

May give Killing a chance…but I’m still on the fence.

Rob • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

I’m laughing at all you haters. AMC is the best network around right now – they’re responsible for Mad Men, Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead. They’re better than any other content provider right now– even HBO and Showtime (although I love Dexter.) And you’re pissed off at them? Really?

akaison • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

I mostly agree, but I would say on par rather than better than HBO etc. Definitely in terms of basic cable channels, they are taking some interesting risks and becoming a trend leader. I mean- how many network or cable channels were thinking of doing a zombie show before Walking Dead? And, loo, at all the Mad Men knock offs in TV and film.

Angus McFaden • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Yeah, Walking Dead sucks too.

There’s a reason they tried to get rid o’ Darabont.

Charlie • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

What are you clowns talking about? AMC is killing it! It’s hysterical to watch all of these posters try to tear apart AMC’s amazing track record and then spew negative opinions on projects they know nothing about save for a logline in the trades. Idiots.

Song and Dance Man • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Seriously???

They can’t just, you know, read the scripts? They have to put the creators through this insane Toddlers and Tiaras kabuki bullshit?

What if you’re a great writer who just sucks at Power Point and iMovie? Guess you’re out of luck….

Jarrod • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

What is logjammers? I keel hearing about it

gpwild • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

What does AMC have to do with the delay with Mad Men? I thought they have already approved a fifth season and the delay has been between Lionsgate and Mathew Weiner over Weiner’s contract for the last two seasons.

From what I’ve read, if you want to be upset with any company, it’s an issue with Lionsgate (who owns the show) and not AMC.

Rubicon was a decent show but the reality is that the ratings were horrible. It’s key demographic ratings came in at a 0.2 or less. (About the same as F/X’s Terriers.) Any network would have canned the show with that kind of performance. On network television they would have pulled the plug after a couple of episodes and shelved the rest.

Justin • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

AMC is key. They’re like the HBO for people who don’t get HBO. Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead are three of the best shows to come out in the last five years, at least. Rubicon was good as well, it just simply didn’t have an audience, and The Killing looks great, even though it’s basically just Twin Peaks without the supernatural elements.

I’m confident Mad Men will be back at some point by the end of the year. It may take a little longer than normal, but as long as it’s back and we get to see that show play out the way it should, I’ll be happy with AMC.

gpwild • on Mar 11, 2011 7:47 pm

Let’s not fan over The Walking Dead. It’s entertaining and has been a ratings blockbuster but the writing on the show is well below the standards set by AMC’s other hit shows. They seem to be aware of this, as there was a big controversy about AMC letting the season one writers go. I’m hoping that the scripts for season two will be a lot better. It’s certainly has caught the cultural zeitgeist at the moment. It’s going to need an overall boost in quality if it’s going to have any legs.